The Mermaid Diaries
by Faerie of Serendipity
Summary: A diary is supposed to be a private thing--or is it??
1. Diary Dilemma

Okay, it's not like I haven't had diaries before.  Calm down, Noli.  Breathe—in and out, and in and out.  I've had diaries before; I'm good at keeping a diary, so, you ask, what's wrong with this one?  What's wrong with this one?  I'll tell you—it's open for the entire royal court to read—and I am being forced to write in it.  It's my diary --a.k.a. a sick form of court amusement.  What am I gonna do??  I've already tried asking nicely, but my mother told me that if I didn't write my deepest secrets in here, both she and the curse that she put on this book will destroy the little world I've made for myself in this place.  So, I have to put this book outside of the court quarters on display on the podium—every single morning at 5:30—"and do it QUIETLY, my dear—we don't want to wake up the whole castle, do we?" says my mother.  Well, I must go.  If I must write in this tiny little book, I can at least write in it in a pleasant location—and as far as I know, the castle hasn't EVER been a pleasant location.  I'll tell you about the place when I get there—goodbye for now!      


	2. The Lake at the Edge of the World

 Okay, so here I am at the "pleasant location."  I suppose I feel better.  It's quite a relaxing (but invigorating as well) swim to get to The Lake at the Edge of the World—the swim gives you plenty of time to think.  The best part is when you get to swim underneath the mountain (it's actually a dormant volcano filled with water) and go up into the beautiful clear lake.  It's WONDERFUL!

Now I know I feel better.  Want to know why?  Because I have found a solution to my dilemma—it's a really good one, too!  I simply cast a small, unnoticeable charm on the diary that makes it impossible to open—but not impossible to open for me!!!  This way, it's just a normal diary—to me anyway.  To anyone else, it's a small book that's impossible to open.  Anyone else being the court and my parents, of course.  I love having a superior mind!

It's so relaxing to be here—you just squeeze through the window in my bedroom at the castle, you swim a half a mile, turn right, swim deeper, go under a ledge, swim up a little, and you're in the lake.  It's actually surprisingly bright in here, considering the fact that the "roof", which is really the top of the ancient volcano, is almost closed up, save a few little holes that let light through.  I guess the water must be where the light comes from—it glows and shimmers.  Hmmmmm…..must be magical.  I LOVE it here!  I can't get over it.  I even have my own little ledge to sit on.  I've brought some water-resistant (compliments to moi and my knowledge of charms) candles to the ledge and a warm blanket, plus a seaweed-filled mattress and a pillow, just in case I ever decided to run a way.  It's not like anyone could ever find me here—even though I discovered this place when I was nine and have been coming here ever since.

I only ever told one person, and that person is sworn to secrecy.


	3. Worked Like a Charm

            *Yawns* That was one refreshing nap!!  I suppose I must go back to the castle now *groans*.  Anyway, I'll cast the charm tonight, and tomorrow it will be impossible to read by anyone but me!  Maybe I should just do it here—it seems to be quite uninhabited.  Okay, I'll be back shortly.

*Later*

            Well, the charm is cast.  It worked like a charm!!! (pun intended)  I must leave now and return to the castle, but I will write again tomorrow after the diary is once again in my possession.  I can't get in trouble because my mother's terms were that I had to write my deepest secrets in the diary—and I have; the only difference is that no one will be able to read about them.  *Giggles evilly*  Goodbye!


	4. New Shells, Veils, and Shawls

            Well, the charm worked.  I (so far anyway) haven't heard any gossip about me and my secret place, which is a good thing.  Normally, the only time you hear any noise in the castle halls is when: (a) father has guests and is merrily touring them around, or (b) the servants are talking and giggling about the new bit of gossip they have learned.  I haven't heard any noise today—an excellent sign.  

            Now, I fear that I must confess my deepest secret to you.  I once—never mind.  I will be back later.  My mother will come into my room soon to get me ready for a fitting by the royal tailor—new shells, veils, and shawls.  Goodbye.

*Later*

            I arrived at the castle about five hours ago.  The fitting is over—the shells and veils should arrive tomorrow, the shawls the next day.  I stopped writing at the exact same moment that my mother entered my room!!  It was very lucky!


	5. Lost to the Abyss

I have decided to confess to you who has been sworn to secrecy—my one love, my true love, my only love.  But he is gone.  He was a peasant in the kingdom, and my loving him was completely forbidden.  They banished him.  He lives on land now—they changed him and took him halfway across the world—after all, they couldn't punish me; I'm the one and only heir to the throne.

I cannot speak his name, for my world would be destroyed by my mother as easily as it is to pick up a feather.  My secret place would be briefly known by everyone, and then it would be destroyed—letting the powerful magical waters leak into the ocean—a completely horrifying thing.  The ocean would be destroyed because the only good magic left in the ocean resides there—the rest of the ocean is made of dark magic; the only reason I know charms is because of the Lake.  If the two types of magic met in any way, chaos would ensue. 

However, if I had time to prepare, the Elders would tell me how to change like my love has, and I could venture onto land to find him.  That would be perfect—but the world that I know would be gone—lost forever in the depths of the abyss.


	6. Schooling

Finally, something has happened!!!  Father is FINALLY going to let me go to school!!  I'm so excited!!!  It's gonna be great!!!  I'm just worried that nobody will like me.  What if everybody's, oh, I don't know, hateful because I'm a princess??  Ok, maybe I'm NOT so excited, but at least I'll finally have some education.  It does get kind of boring to lie around in a castle all year round and not be able to really do anything.  

Oh, I'm so worried.


	7. Zombies

  Today is the first day of school.  I am one of the few people in my class.  I am at a loss as to why there are so few people here, and why nobody is as happy as I am.  They all look like zombies—tired and droopy.  It's so weird—they look so tired of coming to school, like they've been here for a long time—but they never get the answer right.  Every time, they raise their hand slowly up, they answer, and the teacher says, "Wrong.  Would anyone else like to try?" therefore giving me the opportunity to give the correct answer—all the questions are so easy—the other people would think it was easy, too—if they would listen to the teacher instead of passing notes to each other whose content is made up, I'm sure, of "When are we gonna get out of here???"  It's so silly.  Ooh—I'll be back later, I have to answer another question for the zombies!! 


End file.
